The SmartThings Blog

We are one week away from the Samsung Developer Conference (SDC) and would love for you to join us! Taking place on Thursday, October 3, 2024, at the San Jose Convention Center,  SDC will showcase the latest from Samsung and SmartThings, and will provide a variety of networking and learning opportunities.  In case you missed it, we’ve included all the details in our “Samsung Developer Conference 2024: AI for All” blog post.  Still deciding? We’ve shared all the benefits of attending in our short SDC webinar. Watch this 13 minute webinar to hear about: Why you should attend SDC 2024 Developer Center Updates SmartThings Innovation Challenge Once you’re ready to register, visit the conference page here.  We look forward to seeing you there!

Engagement Data to Guide Product Development What is SmartThings Analytics? With our recent update, once you become Works with SmartThings certified, you can use SmartThings Analytics to gather useful data about how your products are being used in the field with PII-safe engagement data. The best part: you can see information like the number of registered and active devices, where your customers are located, and the SmartThings Capabilities that are most commonly used — which helps inform how customers interact with your products. Leverage these insights to optimize your products and product roadmap. “In the past, we were unable to obtain engagement data after purchase, but now, the Analytics Dashboard has helped us create actionable insights.” Maude Shen, Software Product Manager, WiZ Connected Why Should Developers and Product Teams Use SmartThings Analytics? We are always looking for ways to better connect partners with our millions of users. We know it can be difficult to collect user engagement data — especially for partners who manufacture Hub Connected devices. Last year, we announced our first version of Analytics, which included Registered and Active devices. After obtaining Works with SmartThings certification, partners can easily access SmartThings Analytics from the Console. Since receiving positive feedback on the first version of Analytics, we’ve continued to improve performance and expand the type of data partners can access. New this year, we are providing both country-level data and Capability level use. With Capability data, you can answer questions about the most commonly used features of your product, like “Are users actually changing the color of their lights?” Leverage these insights to drive better outcomes for your products and users, and optimize your products based on real user interactions. Key Features of SmartThings Analytics Real-world Usage Data: SmartThings Analytics makes it easy to know if your users are engaged with your products by providing real-world usage data, which we’ve built in a way that gives you actionable data while still protecting the privacy of users’ data. User-friendly Interface: With an intuitive and user-friendly interface, the Analytics tool ensures a seamless experience for product owners and developers of all levels. Multiple Ways to Gain Insights: Easily search by an individual product or your entire catalog, within one country or within a region. Or choose to go back as far as 7, 30, 90 days, or with a custom date range. Lastly, see which SmartThings "Capabilities" are being used — there are plenty of ways to get actionable engagement data to drive product decisions. Product Questions that SmartThings Analytics Answers Where am I getting most of my product sales? In which countries do I have the most active user base? What features / SmartThings Capabilities do my customers use the most? Which are used the least? How many active devices do I have compared to registered devices? How are the active devices and registered devices trending over time? Did device registrations go up after our recent marketing campaign? Or after the event where we showcased our brand? How to Get Started with SmartThings Analytics? Ready to view Analytics for your device(s)? Here's a quick resource guide to help you get started and show you the features: 1. Begin by Accessing Analytics Analytics is only available to partners who have Works with SmartThings (WWST) certified products. Visit the SmartThings Developer Console and navigate to the Analytics section, accessible at SmartThings Developer Console. Keep reading for a screen-by-screen walkthrough, or check out this video. If you have a WWST certified product(s) , but do not have access to the Console, email us at partners@smartthings.com. 2. Set Up Your Search Parameters With Analytics you can search by: Product(s): Search by one product or all to see a portfolio view of how your products are being used. Date: See the last 7, 30, or 90 days of data, or choose a custom data range. Location: View data by county or region. 3. View Data for Insights Registered Devices: View devices that are registered with SmartThings. Active Devices: View devices with an event or an online status in the last 24 hours. Devices may go from the inactive state to the active state and vice versa. Capabilities: See SmartThings Capabilities that are being used for your product or products. Get a glimpse of which capabilities are the most used. Geo Location: View by country or region. See where your products are being used by country or by region. Any of these fields can be made full-screen or zoomed in on. The data can also be exported as a CSV. Our latest update with Analytics represents another avenue for providing more value for WWST Certified partners. Access to this variety of usage data is critical to understanding how consumers use your products. Ready to gain more product insights? Navigate to Analytics in the Certification Console to see these insights and apply them to your product strategy. Want to integrate your device with SmartThings? Visit https://developer.smartthings.com to access tools like Edge Builder and Test Suite, and then leverage our Certification Console to get your device(s) certified.

At SmartThings, we’re committed to providing developers with the tools they need to create innovative and seamless smart home experiences. We are excited to introduce our newest addition to the developer toolkit: Works with SmartThings (WWST) Test Suite. The Test Suite is designed to assist our device company partners in certifying their devices as part of the WWST certification process. With Test Suite, developers can easily test SmartThings integrations, get certified faster, and showcase their devices to tens of millions of SmartThings users.   What is the WWST Test Suite? The Test Suite is a comprehensive tool designed specifically for device developers integrating with the SmartThings platform. It provides a unified environment where developers can thoroughly test their products’ capabilities across various scenarios, helping to identify and address potential issues before deployment. Why Should Developers Use the Test Suite? Centralized Testing Environment: With the Test Suite, developers can leverage a centralized testing environment hosted on the SmartThings platform. This eliminates the need to set up complex testing configurations locally, saving time and effort in the testing process. Recently, there has been expanded coverage for 90+ of the most popular “Capabilities” with more planned by the end of the year.  User-Friendly Interface: With an intuitive and user-friendly interface, the Self-Testing Tool ensures a seamless experience for product owners and developers of all levels.  Real-Time Feedback: Receive instant and detailed feedback on your product's compliance status, allowing for quick identification and resolution of any issues. Reduce your Testing Costs: Save money and time on testing with our free and easy-to-use Test Suite for your certification process.  Hear from some of our partners using Test Suite to certify easier and faster than ever. "I think comparing all the processes, SmartThings was probably one of the fastest in terms of total time spent from start to finish." Mark Hollands, LIFX "The SmartThings new console is very easy to use. Compared to others, SmartThings Developer Center is a much more user-friendly interface." James Shurte, Leviton How to get started with the WWST Test Suite Ready to use the Test Suite for your device(s)? Here’s a quick guide to help you get started:  Access the Test Suite Visit the SmartThings Developer Console and navigate to the Test Suite section, which is accessible at SmartThings Developer Console. Set Up Your Testing Environment Test Suite will display a list of available devices connected across your locations. If you do not have any devices connected to the location associated with your developer account, use the SmartThings app to add them.  It’s easy to collaborate with colleagues using Test Suite. You can add team members in the development console and they can check the status of device tests which makes it easy to work together.   Test Scenarios Test Scenarios are automatically generated to test the Capabilities of your device. This reduces the time needed to set up tests and makes your development testing easy.  We know some Capabilities may require more complicated setups; you can select which tests to perform in each session. Tip: Make sure you include them all before submitting for certification to ensure a faster WWST process.  Run Tests Once you have set up your Capabilities, you can start your tests.    Many tests will automatically execute, but certain tests require manual action to be taken. For example, when testing a motion sensor, a motion detection event is required to pass successfully.  These requirements are indicated before and during an active test session. Note that some tests must be completed within a set time or otherwise will be considered a failed test.  Submit your Test Results Once the test is complete, you can use any feedback or insights to iterate on your product and retest if necessary.   Once you’re ready, attach your test results to your WWST certification submission. We will review your test results and assign a Partner Success Manager to help you complete your Works with SmartThings certification. Our new Test Suite tool represents a significant step forward in our commitment to supporting developers and enhancing their experience on the SmartThings platform. By providing a robust testing environment with simulation, automation, and integration capabilities, we aim to empower developers to build high-quality SmartThings integrations with confidence. Are you ready to elevate your SmartThings development experience? Dive into the Test Suite today and unlock new possibilities for your smart home innovations. For support with bulk registrations of your portfolio of products, contact partners@smartthings.com

Do you have cool ideas for SmartThings? Or perhaps you have a driver you’ve been working on that you want to share? We have an exciting challenge for you! The best part? The winners take home a Samsung 55” Frame TV!   We’re launching our first-ever SmartThings Innovation Challenge alongside the 10th Annual Samsung Developer Conference (SDC) taking place on Thursday, October 3, 2024, at the San Jose Convention Center.   Our ecosystem thrives on the brilliance of our developer community and this challenge is designed to push the boundaries of innovation. This is your chance to showcase your creativity and potentially shape the future of SmartThings.    Here’s how it works: there are two challenge themes and you can choose one of both to present your idea for a new SmartThings feature, enhancement, or driver. Once we’ve reviewed all submissions, we’ll invite the top 3 finalists from each theme to present their idea to a panel of judges at SDC24. The winners will be announced at the SDC24 after party.      Why Should You Participate in the SmartThings Innovation Challenge? Visibility: Gain visibility for your innovative ideas within Samsung, SmartThings, and our partner ecosystem  Community: Connect with fellow innovators  Support: Potentially secure resources to bring your ideas to life     Win A Samsung Frame TV! The first-place winner in each theme will be awarded a Samsung 55” Frame TV!  Additionally, winners will be celebrated at the SmartThings Partner Reception during SDC24.      SmartThings Innovation Challenge Themes Please review the following themes and directions below to participate.   Propose a new feature or ways to enrich an existing SmartThings feature → Share Your Idea Here  Develop a new driver that enhances user’s abilities and the overall SmartThings experience → Share Your Idea Here    Are you interested in submitting something but feel stuck on what we are looking for? We provided some examples of what a good submission could look like at the end of this post.       How to Participate in the SmartThings Innovation Challenge Submit the SmartThings Innovation Challenge form for your chosen theme by Friday, August 30. Attend the Pre-SDC24 Webinar on Thursday, September 12 to see if you’re a finalist.  Finalists will be invited to present their idea to a panel of judges at the Samsung Developer Conference on Thursday, October 3.   While it’s not mandatory, we strongly encourage you to attend the Pre-SDC24 Webinar. Additionally, all finalists must be onsite at SDC24 to present their idea. Don’t worry, our team will work closely with you to get you ready for your debut.    Send your questions about the SmartThings Innovation Challenge to marketing@smartthings.com.    We look forward to seeing your creative solutions and wish you luck in the challenge!  Challenge Examples Example 1 (after entering your name, company, job title, and email in the form)  Propose a new feature or enhancements to an existing SmartThings feature. A way to gamify SmartThings Map View.  This feature builds off of Map View, the way to visualize your home and all the devices in it. The idea for this enhancement to Map View is to gamify it to encourage more users to see the value in it.  The proposal is to allow users to get points for usage. SmartThings would then give encouraging feedback to SmartThings users for various actions taken, grant badges, and a leaderboard for the community.    What problem does your idea solve? This helps encourage adoption and usage of Map View which enables smart home users to easily see their devices and manage them, and provides a visual overview of their home and devices.  It continues to enhance the SmartThings experience.   Who is the target audience? Users who want to view a map of the devices within their home Prospective smart home users who may not know how to get started.  How does your idea make smart homes more accessible? By increasing usage of Map View through gamification, this ultimately makes it easier for current smart home users to see all of their smart devices at a glance. It also encourages them to purchase additional devices and see the opportunities in smart home living Gamifying Map View can make managing a smart home more enjoyable and appeals to users who are more visually inclined. What technical requirements would be needed to implement your idea? Some technical requirements include: The need for the SmartThings platform to recognize and assign events to user behavior like uploading a user’s floor plan, a hand-drawn sketch, and device usage data. Some kind of point system based on user behavior events An ability to assign badges when a SmartThings user reaches a certain point threshold A way for the SmartThings platform to compare points between users in the community The need for the SmartThings platform to know which room each device is in Ability to detect status of each device Ability to handle events from each device  Example 2 Note: This example is of an official SmartThings driver we have in our main driver channel.  This one exists already, but serves as an example of a driver submission.   (after entering your name, company, job title, and email in the form)  Introduce your new driver. This is a driver to connect Zigbee water leak sensors to the SmartThings platform.  This driver provides supported capabilities including a water sensor, temperature alarm, temperature measurement, and battery indicator.  Upon a water leak, the driver will trigger an alert.  It also reports the current temperature and can trigger an alarm on excessive heat or water freeze if the device supports it.  What problem does your driver solve? It expands the SmartThings ecosystem by connecting Zigbee water leak sensors across multiple brands. Who is the target audience? SmartThings users who want to detect water leaks with a Zigbee device.  How does your driver make smart homes more accessible? It adds an additional device category to smart homes and helps people who need the ability to monitor water leaks.   Share the channel to your driver.  Channel Link → (https://bestow-regional.api.smartthings.com/invite/eGM6w1AGNm2A) Github Repository → (https://github.com/SmartThingsCommunity/SmartThingsEdgeDrivers/tree/main/drivers/SmartThings/zigbee-water-leak-sensor)

Curious about all the ways you can integrate with SmartThings? Or looking to connect with other developers in the Samsung and SmartThings ecosystem? We can help with that! We are thrilled to announce the 10th Annual Samsung Developer Conference (SDC), taking place on Thursday, October 3, 2024, at the San Jose Convention Center. This year's conference promises to be an incredible event filled with SmartThings latest technology, networking, and learning opportunities. Join us, be inspired, and get excited—register here today!  What You Can Expect at SDC24 An exciting Keynote with announcements from Samsung & SmartThings Technical sessions diving deeper into main developer topics Interactive exhibits to try out new technology Networking opportunities with other developers and the SmartThings team Code Labs  …all across the platforms of SmartThings, Bixby, Knox, and Tizen.   Why should you attend SDC24? Learn How to Get the Most out of SmartThings Developer Center – We’ll announce the latest updates to our Developer Center and other areas of the SmartThings platform. Plus, dive deeper into developer topics at our informative tech sessions.  Engage in Powerful Networking – Connect with colleagues and industry leaders during meetups and networking events to foster collaboration.  Discover What’s Ahead – Indulge in a variety of impactful topics, including Samsung’s latest advancements in AI and cutting-edge technology. Delve into interactive exhibits and innovative keynotes that highlight the future of tech and how it shapes our world. Want to know more? Click here to view highlights from last year’s SDC.    Important Dates to Remember  Innovation Challenge Submissions Deadline: Friday, August 30 (More details to come on Thursday, August 9.) - Challenge 1 | Challenge 2 Pre-SDC24 Webinar: Thursday, September 12  Samsung Developer Conference 2024: Thursday, October 3 Registration is Now Open Lock in your spot for SDC24 by registering here! After registering, please remember to book a hotel room if needed. Stay tuned for more updates and announcements as we get closer to the event. We look forward to seeing you there! Have questions? We’ve got answers. Send your SDC24 inquiries to marketing@smartthings.com. 

At the 2023 Samsung Developer Conference, Samsung unveiled a suite of cutting-edge tools and features for SmartThings, Samsung’s global connected living platform. Designed to reimagine the experience for SmartThings Ecosystem Developers, these advancements not only create new opportunities for innovation and growth, but also seamlessly integrate Samsung's Technology experiences across its diverse portfolio of products. Building on the success of the 2022 Matter launch, SmartThings is poised to usher in a new era of possibilities as the market prepares to welcome millions of new smart home devices. As a pioneer in the smart home industry and one of the first to receive Matter certification, Samsung is proud to introduce a range of user-centric solutions designed to streamline device registration, expedite Works With SmartThings (WWST) Certification, and elevate the integration experience within the Samsung ecosystem. The enhancements will include an all-new Developer Center, a one-stop shop with resources and education for device integration. As part of this, Samsung is introducing a ‘No Code Wizard’ for Edge Drivers - including Matter devices - that helps match devices with the correct device UI in under 15 minutes, creating a more seamless process. Navigating the developer landscape is further simplified through the new Certification Console, which is tailored for Hub and Cloud-Connected devices. “Samsung has always valued input from its developer ecosystem and as a result, SmartThings has invested heavily in enhancements for device creators seeking Works with SmartThings Certification,” said Jaeyeon Jung, Executive Vice President at Samsung Electronics and Head of SmartThings. "These innovative tools underscore our commitment to providing developers with a dynamic platform that encourages creativity, fosters business growth, and ultimately enhances user experiences.” In addition to technical and certification benefits, the Certification Console will allow device makers to easily submit product images, descriptions, information, and preferred retail links. These assets will both help users set up their devices in Quick Pair on Galaxy phones, and populate the device Catalog on both SmartThings.com and in the app, where consumers can seamlessly browse for and purchase certified devices. Additionally, developers can update retail links and access an analytics dashboard to gain insights into customer engagement. For more information on these dynamic developer tools, visit developer.smartthings.com.

At SDC2023, SmartThings announced three new APIs, empowering developers of all kinds to leverage SmartThings’ robust infrastructure as a platform for their innovative solutions. The SmartThings APIs serve as the foundation for building solutions that interact with SmartThings infrastructure effortlessly. Whether building an app, device, or platform, SmartThings APIs streamline the process, making building connected solutions more efficient and accessible. The new SmartThings APIs announced are: The SmartThings Home API  — With the Home API, developers’ apps can directly interface with devices connected to SmartThings hubs, letting you create applications that offer seamless device management whether users are local or remote.The Home API eliminates the demands of building and maintaining your own cloud or Matter Controller by using SmartThings’ hub and cloud infrastructure as your own. And you don’t have to make tradeoffs between efficiency and innovation. The Home API allows you to pass custom features to your app using "Manufacturer Specific Clusters". The SmartThings Context API — This powerful tool unlocks the benefit of SmartThings’ new Intelligence Platform, and an exciting new level of automations for users. Harnessing AI, sensing, and connected devices to infer context-like presence and frequent activities allows SmartThings to recommend new and helpful experiences that increase engagement with your devices.The Context API allows developers to receive inference results in real time, and use them to help their devices respond more intelligently. Intelligence Platform features and developer access is always subject to user consent, and developer terms and conditions. The SmartThings Enterprise API — The Enterprise API enables developers building solutions for multi-family, rental, and hospitality environments, to leverage SmartThings’ infrastructure and ecosystem, including Samsung appliances, to cost-effectively build and deploy scalable solutions. Enhancing SmartThings Build, the Enterprise API offers full programmatic access so you can build your own platform and app, without requiring individual SmartThings accounts. And your platform can be more flexible than ever, with role-based policies defining access from the device level up, allowing you to adapt to the needs of different customers. Location groups and large-scale access tokens further enhance scalability of your solutions and the businesses you support. The new SmartThings APIs represent a significant step forward in the smart home ecosystem. Developers of consumer smart home devices and apps, as well as smart building and MDU solutions providers, now have access to a robust infrastructure that simplifies development, enhances user and property manager experiences, and saves valuable resources. Whether looking to control devices locally or remotely, leverage AI to make your devices behave more intelligently, SmartThings enables you to build smarter, scalable products, while letting you invest more in doing what you do best — developing innovative solutions for smart homes. Developers interested in gaining early access to these new SmartThings APIs can contact partners@smartthings.com

Join us at #SmartThingsSDC: Everything you need to know about SmartThings at the Samsung Developer Conference — including a $100 discount on registration! (more…)

In what has to be one of the most creative explanations of the Internet of Things to date, Alpha-ville Studio has created this interactive project showcasing how the IoT will affect how we live, work, and interact with the environment around us. Check it out...